Stumbling
by tastewithouttalent
Summary: "Originally the worst of it was keeping Kyosuke moving in a straight line." Shirogane walks Kyosuke home after a little too much celebratory drinking. Occurs immediately after episode 10.


"Come on, Kyosuke."

Shirogane has been trying to maneuver his inebriated friend from the bar back to his apartment. It has been...an extended process, including a stop-off at the park, a nap (for Kyosuke, at least) at the cafe, and now the sun is in imminent danger of actually crossing the horizon and spilling light onto their meandering movement.

It has been much harder to move since they left the cafe, as well. Originally the worst of it was keeping Kyosuke moving in a straight line. Now the problem is keeping him moving at all, after his brief foray into unconsciousness.

"Come _on_," Shirogane says again, and stops moving this time. Kyosuke is draped over his shoulders and at this point his feet aren't moving at all. Shirogane doesn't think of himself as particularly weak, but they will never get the other man home if he has to carry him.

"'M celebrating," Kyosuke mumbles into his shoulder. Shirogane can feel the movement of his mouth against the collar of his shirt more than he can properly understand the words. "Celebrating my resign'tion."

"You are not going to resign," Shirogane says with what he feels is admirable restraint. "You are going to go home and sleep off the alcohol and feel better tomorrow."

"Feel better _now_."

"Sure you do. Just stand up, okay?"

"Can't you take my weight, Hotaka-kun?"Kyosuke's voice is teasing, but he has lifted his head to speak directly into Shirogane's ear. Shirogane has to swallow to steady his voice before he turns his head to look back at the other man.

"Not all the way home. And you're drunk, Kyosuke."

"Mm." Kyosuke's weight slides sideways; he stumbles and almost falls, but the arm still around Shirogane's shoulder catches him, and then he is ostensibly on his feet, although his balance is too shaky to take his weight. Shirogane loops his arm around Kyosuke's waist to hold him upright, and they start moving forward again.

It is very slow going, but they have been trying to get back for most of the night, and once Kyosuke is walking again they are at the stairs to the apartment within fifteen minutes.

Shirogane is expecting the stairs to be a problem. Instead, Kyosuke stops dead at the foot and swings his weight around so his face is against Shirogane's shoulder and his arms are tangled around the other man's neck.

"Don't leave me alone, Hotaka-kun." The words are muffled against Shirogane's neck and Kyosuke's fingers are coming up into the other man's hair. "Stay with me, I don't want to be alone."

"Kyosuke," Shirogane sighs, but he doesn't try to pull him off. "You are _drunk_. You should _sleep_. Alone," he amends.

"Don't want to." Kyosuke lifts his head and kisses the bottom edge of Shirogane's chin, and there is no way for that to be resisted. Shirogane tips his head down, catches the edge of Kyosuke's mouth, and it's sloppy and Kyosuke tastes like alcohol and their glasses click together, but Shirogane's smiling when he pulls back.

"I'm not going to stay tonight," he says, and starts to back Kyosuke up the stairs while the other man is distracted. "You'll feel terrible enough in the morning without someone else around to make your headache worse." He reaches up to ruffle the other man's dark hair. "Drink less next time."

"Mm," Kyosuke's protest is largely incoherent, but they are just coming to the top of the stairs. Shirogane doesn't wait for the other man to retrieve his keys. His hands are steady, and with Kyosuke still hanging off him it's easy to fish the keys out of the inner pocket of the white coat and open the front door.

"Go to bed, Kyosuke," he says once more, gently shoving the other man through the door. "I'll see you tomorrow."

He tosses the keys at Kyosuke, who watches them come with no effort to catch them so they bounce off his chest and hit the floor. Kyosuke laughs and looks back up at Shirogane, reaches out without speaking.

Shirogane smiles, steps in with one foot over the entryway, and leans in to brush a kiss over Kyosuke's mouth.

"Take your glasses off before you pass out," he offers as he steps back. Kyosuke won't - Shirogane knows he'll come back in the morning to find off-center glasses pressing grooves into the other man's cheekbone - but he has to remind him, just as Kyosuke has to smile and nod in agreement as Shirogane pulls the door shut between them.


End file.
